Easy Fall Pumpkin Recipes

Get ready to fall into flavor with these easy pumpkin dessert recipes and a bonus spiced zucchini treat! From a classic pumpkin pie with a flaky crust to soft, brown butter pumpkin spice cookies and cream cheese-frosted pumpkin bars, these fall desserts are cozy, crowd-pleasing, and simple to make. Plus, the zucchini spice Bundt cake adds a delicious twist with hidden veggies and warm spice—perfect for any autumn gathering.

Spiced Pumpkin Bars

• 2  cups flour
• 2  tsp baking powder
• 2  tsp ground cinnamon
• 1  tsp baking soda
• 1/4  tsp salt
• 4  eggs
• 15 oz can of pumpkin
• 1 2/3  cups sugar
• 1  cup cooking oil
• 3/4  cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4  cup butter, softened
• 1  tsp vanilla
• 2  cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• Pecan halves (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and oil on medium speed. Add the flour mixture; beat until well combined. If desired, stir in chopped pecans.
3. Spread batter into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
4. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
6. Frost pumpkin bars. If desired, top with pecan halves. Cut into squares. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Source:  Culinary.net

Pumpkin Pie

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50-55 minutes
Servings: 8

• 1 pie crust (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) Green Giant 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Roll out dough to 2 inches larger than pie dish. Gently press dough into dish until it lines bottom and sides. Trim dough to within 1/2 inch of dish edge. Fold edges underneath themselves, creating thick 1/4-inch border. Crimp edges with fingers. Refrigerate. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In large bowl, whisk eggs and sugars until smooth. Add pumpkin, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir until well blended.
3. Slowly pour filling into pie shell. Cover edges with thin strips of aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Source: Green Giant Pumpkin.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 70 minutes
Yield: 48-50 cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) Green Giant 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks

For Rolling:

• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In small saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir regularly until butter turns deep golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Pour browned butter into heat-safe bowl or measuring cup and refrigerate until cooled, but not solid, about 15 minutes.
2. In large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. In separate medium mixing bowl, stir browned butter and brown sugar. Whisk in pumpkin and vanilla extract followed by eggs and egg yolks.
4. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry until evenly mixed. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes.
5. Form dough into four separate logs 2-3 inches in diameter and about 7 inches long. Wrap each cookie dough log with plastic wrap. Freeze dough 30 minutes, or until ready to bake.
6. For rolling: Preheat oven to 350 F and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir sugars and cinnamon on large plate. Unwrap desired amount of dough (thaw slightly at room temperature if dough is completely frozen) and roll each log in sugar mixture.
7. Slice into 1/2-inch slices. Place on baking sheet 3 inches apart.
8. Bake 14-15 minutes. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
9. Cool cookies at room temperature on baking sheet 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack and cooling 10 minutes.

Source: Green Giant Pumpkin.

Pumpkin Sourdough Loaf

This delicious bread is very subtly sweet, and the pumpkin pie spices permeate the bread beautifully.

Ingredients

• 100 g ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter
• 140 g pumpkin purée
• 250 g water
• 65 g brown sugar
• 12 g salt
• 500 g all-purpose flour (e.g., organic Costco AP)
• ~1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (plus more for laminating the dough)

Steps

1. Mix starter, pumpkin purée, water, brown sugar, salt, and flour in a stand mixer with a dough hook until homogenous.
2. Rest the dough 15–20 minutes (optional but helpful).
3. Perform Stretch & Fold Set 1.
4. Rest 30 minutes.
5. Perform Stretch & Fold Set 2.
6. Rest 30 minutes.
7. Perform Stretch & Fold Set 3.
8. Rest 30 minutes.
9. Perform Stretch & Fold Set 4 (total four sets over ~2 hours).
10. Cover and bulk rise 2–3 hours (about 2 hours at 77–78°F; cooler rooms may need 3+ hours).
11. Gently stretch dough into a large rectangle; sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, then fold like a letter, adding a little more spice between layers.
12. Shape into a round on a lightly floured surface, creating surface tension.
13. Place seam-side up in a lined banneton or bowl; cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
14. Preheat a lidded cast-iron Dutch oven at 450°F (232°C) for about 30 minutes.
15. Turn dough onto parchment, score the top, and lower into the hot Dutch oven.
16. Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes with the lid on.
17. Remove lid and bake 8–15 minutes more, until deeply browned.
18. Transfer to a rack and cool about 30 minutes.
19. Slice and enjoy—great with butter, maple cream, or pumpkin butter.

Recipe by Anna Snyder (Adapted from Amy Bakes Bread)

Zucchini Spice Bundt Cake

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy

• 1 box spice cake mix
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• 1 cup chopped white chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• milk

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. In bowl, mix cake mix, zucchini, butter, eggs, 3/4 cup walnuts and 3/4 cup white chocolate chips. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
3. Let cool about 10 minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling.
4. Mix powdered sugar and milk, about 1/4 cup, to reach desired consistency of frosting. Pour over cooled cake then sprinkle with remaining walnuts and remaining white chocolate chips. Cut and serve.

Source: Culinary.net